Method and system for displaying a hierarchical sub-tree by selection of a user interface element in a sub-tree bar control

Abstract

A sub-tree bar control is provided that aggregates a group of sub-tree view controls. The sub-tree bar control contains user interface elements that are associated with sub-tree view controls. Each sub-tree view control enables an application program to display a list of items as a hierarchical sub-tree in a window. When a user selects the user interface element associated with the node, the sub-tree view control is displayed in a window. By displaying a sub-tree view control, the user views only the information that the user is interested in viewing. Since the sub-tree view control displays only a sub-tree, instead of an entire tree, it typically takes up less display space on the video display than a control that contains an entire tree. Additionally, the sub-tree view control automatically ceases to be displayed based on certain events. The window in which the sub-tree view control is displayed can be resized, either vertically or horizontally. Nodes in the sub-tree can be expanded or contracted. Nodes in the sub-tree can also be selected as root nodes of sub-trees for new sub-tree view controls or otherwise be manipulated as the nodes in the tree displayed in the tree-view control. Moreover, the nodes that are roots of the sub-trees are displayed on the sub-tree bar control so as to provide easy selection of the sub-tree view controls.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a data processing system having a video display and an input device, a method for displaying a list of items, comprising: (a) displaying a tree view control, the tree view control providing a display of a first list of items in a hierarchical tree;   (b) displaying a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element;   (c) selecting one of the items in the first list to be the root item for a second list;   (d) associating the selected one of the items in the first list with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the user interface element being persistently associated with the selected item;   (e) automatically generating a sub-tree view control when the selected item in the first list is persistently associated with the user interface element, the sub-tree view control providing for a display of the second list of items in a hierarchical sub-tree that includes the selected one of the items in the first list as the root item; and   (f) in response to selecting the user interface element of the sub-tree view control, displaying the generated sub-tree view control, so that the hierarchical sub-tree is separately displayable for use with an application program when the hierarchical tree is not displayed.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the selected one of the items in the first list with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control further comprises: (a) dragging the selected one of the items to the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control; and   (b) dropping the selected one of the items onto the user interface element, thereby creating a persistent association between the selected one of the items and the user interface element.   
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is a button. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is an icon. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is a window. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: (a) selecting the display of the generated sub-tree view control; and   (b) resizing the display of the generated sub-tree view control by dragging a portion of the display of the sub-tree view control from a position to another position.   
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated sub-tree view control is a first sub-tree view control and wherein after displaying the generated sub-tree view control, further comprising: (a) selecting one of the items in the second list displayed in the first sub-tree view control;   (b) associating the selected one of the items in the second list with another user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the other user interface element being persistently associated with the selected item in the second list; and   (c) automatically generating a second sub-tree view control when the selected one of the items in the second list is persistently associated with the other user interface element, the second sub-tree view control providing for a display of a third list of items in another hierarchical sub-tree that includes the selected one of the items in the second list as another root item for the other hierarchical sub-tree; and   (d) in response to selecting the user interface element, displaying the generated second sub-tree view control, so that the other hierarchical sub-tree is separately displayable for use with the application program when the hierarchical tree is not displayed.   
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1, wherein after displaying the generated sub-tree view control, in response to indicating that the sub-tree view control is not to be displayed, ceasing to display the generated sub-tree view control. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface element is the first user interface element and wherein ceasing to display the generated sub-tree view control is in response to selecting another user interface element of the sub-tree bar control. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 1, wherein after displaying the generated sub-tree view control, in response to disassociating the persistent association of the user interface element with the selected one of the items in the list, disassociating the generated sub-tree view control from the user interface element. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical sub-tree has at least two levels and wherein each of the items in the second list is a node that corresponds to a node in the tree, and wherein after displaying the generated sub-tree view control, in response to selecting an expansion indicator associated with a node in the hierarchical sub-tree, expanding the node associated with the selected expansion indicator. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical sub-tree has at least two levels and wherein each of the items in the second list is a node that corresponds to a node in the tree, and wherein after displaying the generated sub-tree view control, in response to selecting a contraction indicator associated with a node in the hierarchical sub-tree, contracting the node associated with the selected contraction indicator. 
     
     
       13. In a data processing system having a video display and an input device, a method for displaying a list of items, comprising: (a) displaying a tree view control within a window, the tree view control providing a first list of items displayed as a hierarchical tree;   (b) displaying a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element; and   (c) selecting from the first list one of the items that is a root for a portion of the hierarchical tree;   (d) dragging the selected one of the items to the user interface element on the sub-tree bar control; and   (e) dropping the selected one of the items onto the user interface element, thereby creating a persistent association between the selected one of the items and the user interface element, whereby when the user interface element is selected, a sub-tree view control with the selected one of the items as a root is displayed, so that the hierarchical sub-tree is separately displayable for use with an application program when the hierarchical tree is not displayed.   
     
     
       14. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the portion of the hierarchical tree for which the selected one of the items is the root in another window. 
     
     
       15. In a data processing system having a video display and an input device, a method for displaying a list of items for use by an application program, comprising: (a) displaying a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element that is persistently associated with a sub-tree view control that provides for the display of a portion of a list of items in a hierarchical sub-tree;   (b) in response to selecting the user interface element associated with the sub-tree view control, displaying the portion of the list of items in the hierarchical sub-tree for use with an application program, so that the portion of the list of items is separately displayable when the complete list of items is not displayed.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 15, wherein the displayed sub-tree view control is a first sub-tree view control within a first window that provides a first list of items, and wherein, after displaying the first sub-tree view control, further comprising: (a) selecting from the first list one of the items displayed by the first sub-tree view control;   (b) associating the selected one of the items from the first list with another user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the user interface element being persistently associated with the selected item;   (c) automatically generating a second sub-tree view control that displays a second list of items as another hierarchical sub-tree when the selected one of the items from the first list is persistently associated with the other user interface element, the other hierarchical sub-tree including the selected one of the items from the first list as a root item for the other hierarchical sub-tree; and   (d) in response to selecting the other user interface element, displaying the generated second sub-tree view control within a second window, so that the second sub-tree view control will provide a separate display of the other hierarchical sub-tree when the tree view control is not displayed.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 15, wherein after displaying a sub-tree view control, indicating that the sub-tree view control is not to be displayed, so that the sub-tree view control ceases to be displayed for use with the application program. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user interface element is the first user interface element, and wherein ceasing to display the generated sub-tree view control occurs when another user-interface element is selected. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 15, wherein after displaying the sub-tree view control, in response to indicating that the sub-tree view control is to be disassociated from the user interface element, causing the persistent association of the sub-tree view control with the user interface element to be disassociated. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein disassociating the sub-tree view control from the user interface element further comprises: (a) selecting the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control; and   (b) dragging the selected user interface element off of the sub-tree bar control.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying the sub-tree view control associated with the selected user interface element causes the display of the sub-tree view control to be disposed adjacent to the sub-tree bar control. 
     
     
       22. In a data processing system having an application program, a video display, and an input device, a method for displaying a list of items, comprising: (a) providing a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element associated with a sub-tree view control that is used by the application program to display a portion of the list of items as a hierarchical sub-tree, the sub-tree view control being automatically generated when the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control is persistently associated with one item selected from the list of items to be a root for the hierarchical sub-tree; and   (b) using the sub-tree bar control to display the sub-tree view control associated with the user interface element, so that the sub-tree view control will provide a separate display of the portion of the list of items as the hierarchical sub-tree when another view control that displays the entire list of items as a hierarchical tree is not displayed.   
     
     
       23. In a data processing system having a client application program, a server application program, a video display, and an input device, a method for displaying a list of items, comprising: (a) under control of the server application program, providing a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element associated with a sub-tree view control that is used by the application program to display a portion of a list of items as a hierarchical sub-tree;   (b) under control of the client application program, comprising: (i) displaying the sub-tree bar control provided by the server application program; and   (ii) automatically populating the hierarchical sub-tree with the portion of the list of items when a user interface element is persistently associated with one item selected from the list of items as a root item for the portion of the list of items; and     (c) under control of the server application program, in response to selecting the user interface element, displaying the sub-tree view control, so that the sub-tree view control will provide a separate display of the portion of the list of items as the hierarchical sub-tree when another view control that displays the entire list of items as a hierarchical tree is not displayed.   
     
     
       24. A data processing system, comprising: (a) a video display;   (b) an input device;   (c) a first displayor for displaying on the video display a tree view control within a first window, the tree view control providing a first list of items displayed as a hierarchical tree;   (d) a second displayor for displaying on the video display a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element;   (e) a selector for, in response to input from the input device selecting one of the items in the first list, selecting one of the items in the first list to be a root item for a second list of items;   (f) an associator for persistently associating the selected one of the items in the first list with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control;   (g) a generator for automatically generating a sub-tree view control when the selected item is persistently associated with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the sub-tree view control providing a display of the second list of items as a hierarchical sub-tree with the persistently associated one of the items in the first list being the root item of the second list of items in the hierarchical sub-tree; and   (h) a third displayor for separately displaying on the video display the generated sub-tree view control within a second window, so that the hierarchical sub-tree is separately displayable when the first displayor is not displaying the tree view control for the first list of items.   
     
     
       25. The system of claim 24, wherein the associator persistently associates the selected one of the items in the first list with a user interface element of the sub-tree bar control when the selected one of the items in the first list is dragged to the user interface element and dropped on the user interface element. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a resizer for resizing the second window in response to an input from the input device indicating that the second window is to be resized. 
     
     
       27. The system of claim 24, further comprising a removal system for ceasing the display of the sub-tree view control and the second-window in response to input from the input device indicating that the sub-tree view control is not to be displayed in the video display. 
     
     
       28. The system of claim 24, further comprising an updator for updating the displayed sub-tree view control to reflect changes to the list of items displayed in the hierarchical tree by the tree view control. 
     
     
       29. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for performing steps, comprising: (a) displaying a tree view control within a first window, the tree view control providing a first list of items displayed as a hierarchical tree;   (b) displaying a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element;   (c) in response to selecting one of the items in the first list, selecting one of the items in the first list to be a root item for a second list of items;   (d) associating the selected one of the items in the first list with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the user interface element being persistently associated with the selected item;   (e) automatically generating a sub-tree view control when the selected item is persistently associated with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the sub-tree view control providing a display of the second list of items as a hierarchical sub-tree with the persistently associated one of the items in the first list being the root item of the second list of items in the hierarchical sub-tree; and   (f) displaying on the video display the generated sub-tree view control within a second window, so that the hierarchical sub-tree is separately displayable when the first displayor is not displaying the tree view control for the first list of items.   
     
     
       30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, having computer executable instructions for performing steps, further comprises resizing the second window in response to an input indicating that the second window is to be resized. 
     
     
       31. A method of customizing the display of a hierarchical sub-tree of items for use with an application program, comprising: (a) displaying a hierarchical tree of items;   (b) displaying a sub-tree bar control having at least one user interface element;   (c) selecting one item in the hierarchical tree of items to be a root for the hierarchical sub-tree of items;   (d) associating the selected item in the hierarchical tree of items with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the selected item being persistently associated with the user interface element and a sub-tree view control being automatically generated when the selected item in the hierarchical tree of items is persistently associated with the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, the sub-tree view control providing for the display of the hierarchical sub-tree of items with the selected item as the root; and   (e) in response to selecting the user interface element of the sub-tree bar control, causing the sub-tree view control to display the hierarchical sub-tree of items, so that the hierarchical sub-tree of items is separately displayable when the hierarchical tree of items is not displayed.